The press release states the acquisition closed October 29, 2013, subject to customary closing conditions, and that “First Advantage will add over 4,000 new clients to its over 41,000 current client relationships that process more than 15 million applicants annually” as a result of the acquisition.

According to its website, FADV is a portfolio company of STG, a “strategic private equity firm” with a current portfolio consisting of “12 global companies with combined revenue of approximately $2.5 billion and thousands of employees spread across North America, Europe, and Asia.”

While the U.S. screening industry is rapidly becoming more global in reach, Concerned CRAs – a group of 200 Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs) dedicated to consumer protection – is against the “offshoring” of consumer information used in domestic background checks overseas for processing outside the U.S.

Concerned CRAs believes sending information of U.S. job seekers offshore outside of the United States for processing “places both applicants and employers at risk and should be avoided whenever possible” and that “applicants and employers should be made aware of this practice in advance.”

When performing domestic background screening, a CRA displaying the ‘Concerned CRAs’ seal certifies it does not send data outside the United States or its territories for processing of a background check report and all work is done in the U.S. For more information, visit http://www.concernedcras.com/.

Founded by safe hiring expert Attorney Les Rosen in 1997, Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) – ‘The Background Check Authority®’– provides accurate and actionable information that empowers employers to make informed hiring decisions for the benefit of their organizations, employees, and the public. CEO Rosen literally wrote the book on background checks with “The Safe Hiring Manual” and ESR is accredited by The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), a distinction held by a small percent of screening firms. Employers choosing ESR know they have selected an agency meeting the highest industry standards. To learn more about ESR, visit http://www.esrcheck.com or call toll free 888.999.4474.